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Page 50
Coursing down the street, Bilbil found himself
approaching the bridge of boats and without pausing to
think where it might lead him he crossed over and
proceeded on his way. A few moments later a great stone
building blocked his path. It was the palace of Queen
Cor, and seeing the gates of the courtyard standing
wide open, Bilbil rushed through them without
slackening his speed.
Chapter Thirteen
Zella Saves the Prince
The wicked Queen of Coregos was in a very bad humor
this morning, for one of her slave drivers had come
from the fields to say that a number of slaves had
rebelled and would not work.
"Bring them here to me!" she cried savagely. "A good
whipping may make them change their minds."
So the slave driver went to fetch the rebellious ones
and Queen Cor sat down to eat her breakfast, an ugly
look on her face.
Prince Inga had been ordered to stand behind his new
mistress with a big fan of peacock's feathers, but he
was so unused to such service that he awkwardly brushed
her ear with the fan. At once she flew into a terrible
rage and slapped the Prince twice with her hand-blows
that tingled, too, for her hand was big and hard and
she was not inclined to be gentle. Inga took the blows
without shrinking or uttering a cry, although they
stung his pride far more than his body. But King
Rinkitink, who was acting as the queen's butler and had
just brought in her coffee, was so startled at seeing
the young Prince punished that he tipped over the urn
and the hot coffee streamed across the lap of the
Queen's best morning gown.
Cor sprang from her seat with a scream of anger and
poor Rinkitink would doubtless have been given a
terrible beating had not the slave driver returned at
this moment and attracted the woman's attention. The
overseer had brought with him all of the women slaves
from Pingaree, who had been loaded down with chains and
were so weak and ill they could scarcely walk, much
less work in the fields.
Prince Inga's eyes were dimmed with sorrowful tears
when he discovered how his poor people had been abused,
but his own plight was so helpless that he was unable
to aid them. Fortunately the boy's mother, Queen Garee,
was not among these slaves, for Queen Cor had placed
her in the royal dairy to make butter.
"Why do you refuse to work?" demanded Cor in a harsh
voice, as the slaves from Pingaree stood before her,
trembling and with downcast eyes.
"Because we lack strength to perform the tasks your
overseers demand," answered one of the women.
"Then you shall be whipped until your strength
returns!" exclaimed the Queen, and turning to Inga, she
commanded: "Get me the whip with the seven lashes."
As the boy left the room, wondering how he might
manage to save the unhappy women from their undeserved
punishment, he met a girl entering by the back way, who
asked:
"Can you tell me where to find Her Majesty, Queen
Cor?"
"She is in the chamber with the red dome, where green
dragons are painted upon the walls," replied Inga; "but
she is in an angry and ungracious mood to-day. Why do
you wish to see her?"
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